Mechanical pelvic clinometer

ABSTRACT

A pelvic clinometer comprising a crossbar member with elastic connecting means on opposite ends thereof for fastening to a person, and leg means projecting from said crossbar member for resting against the sacrum and a clinometer support member projecting rearwardly of said crossbar member and clinometer means secured to said member.

United States Patent Inventor Henry W. Hall, Sr.

941 Avon Road, West Palm Beach, Fla. 33401 App]. No. 831,089

Filed June 6, 1969 Patented June 29, 1971 MECHANICAL PELVIC CLINOMETER 3Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 33/207 R, 33/206 R, 33/174 D Int. Cl G014: 9/10 Field of Search33/207,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,401,146 12/1921 Falconer33/207 2,357,817 9/1944 Foster 33/206 3,052,036 9/1962 Oliver 33/207Primary Examiner- Leonard Forman Assistant Examiner-Dennis A. DearingAttorney-Herman, Davidson and Berman ABSTRACT: A pelvic clinometercomprising a crossbar member with elastic connecting means on oppositeends thereof for fastening to a person, and leg means projecting fromsaid crossbar member for resting against the sacrum and a clinometersupport member projecting rearwardly of said crossbar member andclinometer means secured to said member.

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0 W440 wild/m, i (/i/I/Zl/M/ ATTORNEYS The present invention relates toa pelvic clinometer that can be readily secured against the sacrum of aperson so as to measure the pelvic inclination during the act ofleaningforward.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a clinometer forindicating the angle of inclination during the act of leaning forward bya person.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a postureindicator device for use in teaching a person to maximize the tilt ofthe pelvis and to minimize the flexing of the spine during the act ofleaning so as to avoid any injury or strain to the spine.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide aninexpensive and economically manufactured clinometer that can be readilyused by an inexperienced person to learn how to lean forward withoutinadvertently overflexing the spine.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a ruggedand simple mechanical clinometer for measuring the tilt or angle of thepelvis inclination during the act of leaning forward so that a personcan be trained to properly lean forward without undue stress on thespine.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description when consideredin connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, andin which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the clinometer embodied in the presentinvention,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the clinometer shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 illustrates the clinometer of the present invention when it hasbeen properly secured to a person when the person is standing in anerect position,

FIG. 5 illustrates the clinometer embodied in the present invention anda person bending or leaning forward with the spine flexed, and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but illustrating the clinometer whenthe person is leaning forward with the shoulders in the same plane asthe sacrum and with no flexing of the spine.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally designatesthe pelvic clinometer device of the present invention, which is providedwith an elongated laterally extending crossbar 12. The opposite ends ofthe crossbar 12 are provided with apertures through which is threadedelastic cord members 14, which have one end secured to the crossbar 12and are provided with connector hooks 16 adjacent the other end. Theelastic cords l4 and the hooks 16 are utilized to connect the device tothe body of a person that is going to use the device.

The center of the crossbar I2 is provided with a substantially U-shapedmember I8 bolted as indicated at 20 to the crossbar. The U-shaped member18 is provided with a vertical leg or foot 22 adjacent its upper end andthe lower leg 24 of the U-shaped member has a rubber cap 26 disposedthereover so as to form another leg or foot for resting the deviceagainst the sacrum ofa person, as best seen in FIGS. 4 to 6. The U-shaped member is disposed so as to project forwardly of the crossbar asbest seen in FIG. 1.

An L-shaped bar member 28 extends rearwardly of the crossbar member 12,as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. This L- shaped bar member 28 is securedto the crossbar member by any suitable means and is disposed inalignment with the U- shaped member 18. The L-shaped bar member hassecured to its rear end by a screw member and wing nut indicated at 30,a semicircular flat member 32 with a circular or arcuate member 34disposed adjacent its forward end. Disposed adjacent this circularmember 34 is a curved tube 36 that may be made of plastic and istransparent so that a ball 38 disposed therein may be clearly seenthrough the tube wall. The ball 38 is maintained in the tube by plugmembers 40 closing off the op osite ends of the tube.

s can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the semicircular flat member 32 has aface or a dial surface that has graduations or indicia thereonindicating an angle reading from zero at the rear of the member to(degrees) at the forward or upper portion of the flat member 32. Thetube 36 may be secured to the member 32 and may rest against thecircular or arcuate member or rib 34 by any well-known means. Theposition of the flat member 32 with respect to the L-shaped bar membersupporting it can be adjusted by loosening the wingnut 30 and adjustingthe member 32 or moving it to a predetermined location and thereaftertightening the wing nut.

In using the device of the present invention, a person will first strapor secure the device to the body adjacent the sacrum, as best seen inFIG. 4 and the dial face or flat member 32 will be set so that the ball38 will give a zero reading when the individual stands erect, as shownin FIG. 4. Then, as the individual shown in FIG. 4 leans forward, theball gravitates to the bottom of the are, indicating the pelvicinclination by its position under the calibrated scale on the member 32.The leaning forward is illustrated in FIG. 5. Thus, the device willmeasure from an erect body position the amount of forward tilt of thepelvis during the act of leaning forward to various body angles.

It has been found that in self-learned leaning forward to 90, so thatthe shoulders of a person are horizontal with the hips, as illustratedin FIG. 5, the tilt of the pelvis ranges from 20 to 55 or 60, with anorm of about 35". Each individual tends to be constant in his ownstyle. Obviously, then, the rest of the leaning is accomplished byflexing the spine forward, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Once so flexed, thespine must furnish part of the kinetic force required to draw erect inlifting a load. This produces compressive and frictional abuse on thediscs and vertebrae, and strains the complex intervertebral muscles andligature. As illustrated in FIG. 6, this is the proper way ofleaningforward to the shoulder-hip position wherein the shoulders and hips arein a horizontal plane.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the presentinvention provides a simple and. yet scientific and accurate device formeasuring the pelvic inclination during the act ofleaning forward sothat a person may be taught to repattern his individual leaning behaviorin order to maximize the tilt of the pelvis and minimize the flexing ofthe spine during the act ofleaning.

Inasmuch as various changes may be made in the form, location andrelative arrangement of several parts without departing from theessential characteristics of the invention, it is to be understood thatthis invention is not to be limited except by the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A pelvic clinometer device for measuring the pelvic inclinationduring the act of leaning forward, comprising an elongate generallyhorizontal crossbar, a generally U-shaped member secured to saidcrossbar intermediate the opposite ends thereof, a pair of verticallyspaced legs integrally formed on said member and extending forwardly ofsaid bar, flexible means secured to opposite ends of said crossbar forsecuring said member to the body of a person with said legs bearingagainst the sacrum of the person, an L-shaped bar secured to saidmember, an upright flat plate adjustably secured to said L-shaped barand extending rearwardly of said crossbar oppositely of said legs, ahollow semicircular tube secured to said plate adjacent angle indicatingindicia on said plate, and an indicator ball freely moveable in saidtube for indicating the angle ofinclination of the pelvis.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate is adjustablysecured to said L-shaped bar by .a transverse horizontal pivot and awingnut is threaded on said pivot to releasably lock said plate inadjusted position on said bar.

3. A device as claimed in claim I wherein means are provided on saidtube for releasably closing said tube for inserting and removing saidball.

1. A pelvic clinometer device for measuring the pelvic inclinationduring the act of leaning forward, comprising an elongate generallyhorizontal crossbar, a generally U-shaped member secured to saidcrossbar intermediate the opposite ends thereof, a pair of verticallyspaced legs integrally formed on said member and extending forwardly ofsaid bar, flexible means Secured to opposite ends of said crossbar forsecuring said member to the body of a person with said legs bearingagainst the sacrum of the person, an L-shaped bar secured to saidmember, an upright flat plate adjustably secured to said L-shaped barand extending rearwardly of said crossbar oppositely of said legs, ahollow semicircular tube secured to said plate adjacent angle indicatingindicia on said plate, and an indicator ball freely moveable in saidtube for indicating the angle of inclination of the pelvis.
 2. A deviceas claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate is adjustably secured to saidL-shaped bar by a transverse horizontal pivot and a wingnut is threadedon said pivot to releasably lock said plate in adjusted position on saidbar.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided onsaid tube for releasably closing said tube for inserting and removingsaid ball.